vandergriff



Feb. 7, 1956 A. L.. vANDl-:RGRIFF COTTON GIN EMBODYING IMPROVED PNEUMATIC DOFFING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 9, 1950 Feb. 7, 1956 A. L. VANDERGRIFF 2,733,431

COTTON GIN EMBODYING IMPROVED PNEUMATIC DOFFING MECHANISM Filed June 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i pitt 1 ityj United States i l iCOTTON EMBGDYING IMPROVED t i .PNEUMATIC DOFFING MECHANISM Arvel L. V antlergriff, Columbus',Ga., assigner "to Lummusr Cotton Giu Company, a corporation of Georgia lpplication June 9,1950, Serial No. `167,209 3 Claims. l (Cl. 1959) d `l 'M'ypresent invention Yrelates to cotton gins and relates more" particularlyv to cotton gins embodying some of the l ,lo` the improved ,.'dong mechanism shown, `desoribedandfclaimed in my coipending application, Serial N.3,59.`35 Tled July 3, 2g'588593fentitled PneumaticDofng Mechanism for CottonGins andthe Likev d 4 n psentinvention has foran object the provision ernb`o`dyinga` lint duct open-at its upper end, air "nozzle foreach lsawand` means positioning r e'd'gefof the forward `wall of the lint duct, called t beard lip, e o'fgtangency along iwhich lint and trash leave the u tus beingrnore eiective 4the lint than prior dong means.

operate ltope narrowed without loss 'the system-and permittingthe mouth of Ithe lint of lint, consequently betwe e sawsfand means to maintain the lint duct .y "g "the forward wall ory mote'board lip of the the continuously extending doliing nozzle into a oxfl'individual nozzles, one for each saw, which hall be'formed integrallyin groups, Athus facilie v Vetninstallationof'n simplifying'themanufacture thereof. p t

QBriei'l'I,havefdiscovered that the lint Vcleaning eiiicif` ly of'a gin .embodying generally the features of rthe identified application vcan 80"sawf`gin of the type, disclosed in said applica- 4 deliveringairfand lint to a standard lint' liuefand condenservoffordinary type, there exists in the gintlint duct a pressure of approximately Y inch, vwater gauge. 'A `ries slightly with the s ize and length of the lint melyfthe eonduitleadingV from the ginV lint duct tot condenser, the size of the condenser, and more espe ally with. the thickness of the bat on the condenser screedA drum'. `I' have foundthat if the pressure in thegin lintdlctexceeds about 5*/10 inch water gauge the`velocity and volume ofthe air induced into4 the open ended gin lint s, reduced enough to cause some line not to enter intducniwasting linttbyrdischarging the same `with ashfUnder lo inch water vgauge -pressure in the 1948, now Patent Number fling mechanism for association with a cotton gin of4 `at a point substantially outwardly off nder, lwhereby the `trash continues over `the topiv .Otte` baard ,ligand the lint enters the lint duct; 30

in removing trash, fnotlier object is to :reduce the pressure oflthestrcams i of, dolngfjair,:'therebyfreducing the power required to;

asi-ngi the amountof trash drawn into the,,lin t ,clut;t."@ i ism for thejsawcylinder of a 'gint embodying thej ns for` reducing the cross :sectional un er ac um, :whereby the velocity-of the` air'induced t vv(men `upperfendfof the lint duct isvincreas'ed,V

to'be-Mrnoved further. outwardly of the, linefofA alongjwhich'the lint and trash leave thesaw,` furtherjnc'reasing the cleaning action of -the erf object is "tov provideimproved spacers-forv the-gsame 'with'inthe gin and t be greatly improved.

`the saw cylinder 10.

2,733,481 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 ice gin lint duct, the pressure of the dofiing air must be about 15 inches water gauge when the is approximately '1%r inches wide. Doing air under approximately this. pressure is required to induce suicient air at the correct velocity to turn all of the good lint into the gin lint duct. I have found that as the static pressure in the gin lint duct is reduced, the mouth of the lint duct can be narrowed sincethe lower the pressure in the lint duct the higher the f In order to operate with t the mote board lip i at the optimum outward means for maintaining the gin lint duct under vacuum on the order of 4/10 inch water gauge.

ably, though not necessarily, is'in the fan connected to exert suction on the Under these conditions I am able to reducethe doiing air pressure to approximately 6 inches-water gauge.` /I thus eifect a substantial 4saving in power required for'movin'g air in the system since the suction fan operates against only oneand one-half inches 'water' gauge pressure1t'o maintain the gin lint duct under o vacuum. -`Supplying, the induced airby` maintaining the ginlint ductunder vacuum has another importantadvan` tage. If theinducedair is1 supplied by Vacuum :instead of by` high velocity,

it more electivel in aboutV the` same zvolume Vof `induced s air aswhentlthe v apparatus is operated under l5 inches water gauge doiingy pressure. Further, in an over which prevents trashfrom` being drawn'into the lint duct,v

such general functional improvement being attendedby the incidental improvements hereinafter appearing.

lApparatus illustrating the features of my inventionisshown in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this Aapplication in which: p p t Fig. 1 is a detail transverse sectional View -through a cotton gin having my improved doling mechanism associated therewith; i

Fig. 2A is a Ydetail fragmentaryv view of the spacers associated with the saw cylinder and air dofiing nozzle; i Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken generally along line III-III of Fig. 2; A

Fig. 4^is atvdetail sectional view taken generally along line IV-IV of Fig. t Y i `Fig. 5 is proved dong mechanism, A

enlarged cross-sectional view `and showing `a portion of A the saw cylinder; and

line VI-VI of Fig. -5. t

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention I show my improved doting mechanism associated with a saw cylinder 10 comprising individual, axially spaced saws 11. The saws are heldin spaced apart relation on a shaft 12 by means of the usual spacers 13. The saws operate between huller ribs 14 and ginning ribs 16. Seed cotton tobe ginned is fed into the breast 17 ofthe gin from a slide 18, and falls downwardly to be by the picker rolls 19 and 21 which present the cotton to In the manner understood, the

mouth ofhthe line duct velocity of the air induced thereinto;`

pos1non relative to the line of tangency of the lint and trash leaving the saw cylinder, I provide Such means prefer-` form'of a suction' condenser screen:A

inch water gauge:

high volume; doiiing `air the induced air enters `the mouthuof thelint-ductmore evenlygmakingV .turning 4 the, lint into the lint i duct. Such even ow of air gives good lint-trash separation with by decreasingthe velocity of the jets of gin embodying the usual rotating I acted upon saws of the saw cylinder engage the seed cotton and pull the same through the huller ribs 14 into the roll box 20. Hulls removed from the cotton tall downwardly through a perforated plate 22 and are discharged by mef of a conveyor 23 whichmay be located below the iloor 2:4 of the. gin house. Seed from which 'fthe lint has been removed falll downwardly between the ribsofrthe gin and are discharged through a seed conveyor 26. The gin may be provided with an overhead'mote conveyor in the form of a hat belt 27 on which motes and trash thrown from the top of the saw cylinder are removed. rl`he gin may also. be provided with the usual mote board 28 onto which falls metes and trash thrown E by centrifugal force from the lower surface of the saws, such trash and motes sliding down the board 2Sjrand being discharged 'alongA with the hulls by the'conveyor 23.

On the rear side of the gin is an air chamber 29 extending substantial-ly the length ofl the saw cylinder. The chamber 29 is supplied with air under pressure, Vas from a conduit 31.

The chamber 29 is defined by an upper wall 32 and a rear wall-33 formi-ng one' wall of' a lintduct 34,` together with a side wall 3.6. As best shown in Fig; the inner edge of the upper wall 32 is turned downwardly as at37. rlhe rear wall 33 of the lint duct 34- isf provided withan upwardly extending portion 38 terminating at `39' to the rear of yand slightly above the portion V37 of wall 32. The two edges. 37 and 39 cooperate to denne between them. an airV nozzle 41 extendingl the length of the 'saw cylinder 10. The air-nozzle is,` disposed to directrvai'r in thev chamber 29 downwardly and substantially Vtangentiallyl of Ythe saws to remove lint therefrom inthe manner to be explained. y

rlhe lint duct 34 is defined between the walls 3 3 and a front wall 42. On the upper end of the "front wall 42 isa slidable section 43 having its uppermost edge terminating as at 44 beneath the saw cylinder 10. The upper portion 38 of the wall- 33 and the upper' portion 43; of wall: 42 thus denne between them an open ended lint duct which is adapted to receive lint discharged from the saw cylinder. Lint is delveredj through a iiue 45 to ay condenser 45a to which isconnected a suction' fan. 45h.

Commencing at Vpointl 39 the portion 38 of ltherear wall: slopes rst towardy the saw cylinder 11' to a point 4.6, thence outwardly a-ndV downwardly to a' point' 47,

thencev again inwardly and downwardly to aj point 4.8,

Iust'below the point 48 the upper section 38 ofv'the wall joins with the upper edge of wall 33- through an airtight slip joint 50. The upper section 43, of` wall 42 is provided at each end with a bracket 49l having therein a slot 51. The. heads 52 ofthe gin are provided with substantially'- vertically disposedA Vslots 53'. rl'he wall section 43 is adjustably secured by bolts 54 passing through the slots 5:1 and 53. 56 the upper wall section 43 thus is adjustable toward and from. the saws inay laterall direction as well as upwardly and downwardly relative thereto.

Myl improved;` formoff spacers for dividing the nozzle 41 into a plurality of nozzles, andY to provide spaces f or receiving each. of the saws 1:1 will now be described. As shown in. Figs. 2 and 3'- the spacers may be made in` groups or units A and- B. The'section A may be the section of the spacers which t adjacent the heads of the gin whereas. the sections BI are the intermediate, sections. The sections A and B comprisey a body or base portion 57:` having a shape to t against the upper portion 38v ofthe wall133. Each individual spacer C'may have` a rounded upper end. 5S adapted to t into the nozzle 41.

the. cross sectional 'contigurationoiV the wall section 3g with. the exceptionl that there is provided a flat section Through the provision of a slip joint 'The outer surface of each spacer C follows in general opening between adjacent spacers which is flared at its -i-nlet and discharge ends. 'The spacers are readily secured to the wall section 38 by means of bolts 60a and nuts 6i therefor. The bolts preferably have countersunk heads which lie flush with the spacers themselves.

It will be noted that the saws l1 have only a very minor peripheral portion thereof engaged in the channel like openings 62 between the, spacers. rl`he saw cylinder is disposed with the periphery of each saw running closely adjacentl the bottom of the channel shaped openings.

By reference more particularly to Fig. 5 of. the drawing, line X represents the line of tangency along which lint and trashpleave the saw cylinder 10. My invention permits the upper edge 44 of the wall section 43 to be positioned at all times outwardly of the lineof tangency of the lint and trash, namely, so that Ythe lint and trash leaving the saws taugentially are not directed into the open mouth of the lint duct. Accordingly, when the gin is operating either with the higher pressure in the air supply chamber 29 and pressure in the gin lint duct 34 or with the lower'pressure in chamber 29 and vacuum in lint duct 34, the induced air drawn in to the mouth of the lint duct is suici'ent to turn the lint without turning thereinto the trash.

While the improved functioning of a gin equipped with my improved doiiing mechanism is due to a number of constructional features herein shown and described, it appears that the shape of the spacers and their disposition relative to the point at which the cotton is doied from the saws is quite important. It will be noted that the spacers themselves and the plate or base portion A upon which they are cast turn abruptly away from the saws at the point P where lint and trash leave the saw cylinder. Due to this construction air induced into the lint duct commences immediately to act on the lint as soon as it leaves the saw cylinder, thereby to turn it into the mouth of the lint duct. Since the mote board' lip. 44 is vertically and horizontally adjustable l' am enabled to set the same for optimum cleaning of cotton containing various types of trash and with cotton containing more or-less moisture.

vBy way` of example and not by way of limitation the followingl specific example is cited in order that the operation of the apparatus may be more clear:

Within an saw gin having a dofling nozzle approximately 631/2 inches long, the upper ends of the spacers C are made so that when installed the total cross sectional area of the nozzle 4-1v is approximately 6 square inches. This amounts to a reduction in cross sectionalv area ofthe nozzle of more than 50 per cent over standard practice. When operating the gin with thisl nozzle under approximately` 15 inches water gauge pressure inv charnber 29, the mote board lip 44 is set approximately 1% inches awayy from the inner edge of the wall section 38 as measured along the line indicatedl at F, Fig. 5'. Also,l the edge 44 is set approximately s/s inch from the s aw cylinderias measured along theline indicated at G. Under these conditions the initial direction of'the dofling air is still above the mote board lip 44 and enough air is induced into the lint duct to turn the lint without turn-4 ing thereinto trash traveling with the lint stream. The above setting holds good for cotton containing the normal amountV of moisture, namely, approximately 6 per cent. It the moisture isl below normal the mouth of the lint duct can be narrowedv to approximately ll/s inches, and for very dry cotton to approximately 1 inch. If Inow reduce the pressure in the lint duct 34V by means of the Since horsepower exi'iendedr in moving air varies by'the` lnote a considerablev improvement in cleaning under the` latter conditions;

three halves of the pressure I elfect a considerable saving in power by operating with the lint duct under vacuum.

It will also be noted that by casting the spacers C in integrally formed groups, I greatly simplify the manufacture and accurate machining thereof as well as the installation of the same in the gin. It will be understood that the sides of the saws run closely to the sides of the spacers in the channel shaped openings 62. Actually, I nd that lint being carried around on the saw cylinder flares outwardly therefrom and strikes the edges of the spacers C as well as engaging against the bottom of the channel shaped openings 62. This has the benecial effect of disengaging trash from the cotton while on the saw cylinder, facilitating its separation.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved dotling mechanism for cotton gins. It will be understood that thev principal feature of my invention resides in apparatus in which the mote. board lip is disposed outwardly of theA line of tangency at which the cotton and trash leave the saw cylinder, permitting the operation of the apparatus without excessive loss of lint. In actual practice I have found that my improved doifing mechanism is especially effective for its intended purpose in removing from lint cotton the green leaf of the cotton plant as well as leaves from wild plants which may be mixed with the cotton and which attach themselves to y the saws. This functional advantage is particularly important at the present time due to the Wide use of mechanical harvesters which gather not only the cotton but also much trash, leaves and the like. When employed with a cotton gin embodying the overhead moting belt I have found that I not only increase the effectiveness of moting at the point where my improved dong mechanism is placed but also improve the over moting characteristics of the gin. As before stated, this is due to the fact that my improved dong mechanism does not draw from the edge of the belt motes which have been deposited thereon.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and moditications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cotton gin embodying a saw cylinder comprising a plurality of axially spaced saws, an elongated air dolfing nozzle for directing air under pressure downwardly and tangentially of the saw cylinder to dolf lint cotton and trash therefrom and move them in a continuous substantially straight path away from the saws, a lint individual streams of air, and means exerting suction on` the lint duct sufficient to induce a stream of air thereinto which moves transversely of the individual streams of iint and trash moving above the open upper end of the duct to divert the lint into the duct without materially changing the direction of movement of the trash moving over theV open end of the lint duct.

2. In a cotton gin embodying a saw cylinder having a plurality vof axially spaced rotating saws, air dong means disposed closely adjacent a side of the saw cylinder to direct doliing air tangentially of the saws downwardly and in a substantially straight path toward the bottom of the saw cylinder, thereby to doi lint and trash from the saws, a lint duct having an open upper end located below the point where the lint and trash are doifed from the saws and entirely outwardly from the line of tangency to the saw cylinder at said point and means to induce into the open end of the lint duct a stream of air moving transversely of the dofting stream and effective to draw into the duct substantially only the lint.

3. In a cotton gin embodying a saw cylinder having a plurality of axially spaced rotating saws, air doliiing means disposed closely adjacent a side of the saws comprising an individual nozzle for each saw operable to direct individual streams of air tangentially of the saws in a downward direction and toward the bottom of the saw cylinder to doff lint and trash from the saws and move them along substantially straight parallel paths, a lint duct with an open mouth disposed at said side of the saw cylinder below and outside the line of tangency to the sawcylinder at the point where the lint is doifed from the saws and over the open mouth of which the said lint-trash streams are directed by centrifugal force from the saws, and means to induce into the open mouth of the References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

